Update: Kamala Harris accepts President Obama’s apology (VIDEO)

So President Obama called California AG Kamala Harris on Thursday night to apologize for making inappropriate remarks about a fundraiser this week in Atherton.

But while a spokesperson for Harris said she “strongly supports him,” he initially declined to say whether she accepted the apology.

“The Attorney General and the President have been friends for many years. They had a great conversation yesterday and she strongly supports him,” Harris spokesperson Gil Duran said Friday.

Asked whether Harris accepted Obama’s apology, Duran wrote in an email to The Chronicle: “Statement speaks for itself.” UPDATE: However, later, Duran clarified his remarks by saying that Harris indeed had accepted the apology.

The problem with Obama’s remarks, analysts said, is that even complimentary comments about a female politician’s physical appearance can diminish her accomplishments.

“It’s even more so when the person — like Kamala Harris — is holding a traditionally-male position like attorney general, the top law enforcement officer in the state,” Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, told us Friday.
“That’s just what Obama did by including a comment about her appearance,” Walsh said. “I doubt if he’d say that about a male attorney general.”

News of Obama’s apology was relayed to the free world Friday by Obama’s spokesman Jay Carney.

“The president did speak with Attorney General Harris last night after he came back from his trip,” Carney said, “and he called her to apologize for the distraction created by his comments.”

Carney and Duran correctly note that Obama and Harris are “old friends” — she was fundraising for him in California when he was a nobody Illinois state senator running a long-shot candidacy for U.S. Senate. And, as we know from this short clip from the Shaky Hand Productions Video Vault and Wine Cellar, Team Obama gave Harris a prime speaking slot at last year’s Democratic National Convention:

Carney said that Obama “did not want in any way to diminish the attorney general’s profession, accomplishments and her capabilities.”

“He fully recognizes the challenges women continue to face in the workplace and that they should not be judged based on appearance,” Carney said.

However, before we break down the presidential apology, here’s a reminder of what Obama’s full remarks were, according to the White House’s transcript of the event:

“…you have to be careful to, first of all, say she is brilliant and she is dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anybody who is administering the law, and making sure that everybody is getting a fair shake. She also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country — Kamala Harris is here. (Applause.) It’s true. Come on. (Laughter.) And she is a great friend and has just been a great supporter for many, many years.”

Kind of weak to get your spokesflak to give a public apology for you. It was made in a quasi-public setting. Why not make the apology there — yourself?

Second, while Obama “apologized for the distraction”… what about the comments themselves? “Apologized for the distraction” is dangerously close to the “I’m sorry if anyone was offended” staple. When pressed on whether he was making a distinction here, Carney said Friday:

“No. I’m making clear, I think, that he apologized for it and believes that she is a superb Attorney General for the state of California, has done an excellent job in all areas, and especially on this mortgage settlement issue.”

What makes the apology seems a bit hollow is what Obama said after he made the initial comment at the fundraiser. After the Leader of the Free World heard tittering after his initial remark about Harris being the best-looking AG in the country, he followed it up with…”It’s true. Come on.” Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more, (H/T Monty Python.)

But while Obama was getting hammered on social media for his remarks, especially from usually friendly liberals, others were more forgiving.

WaPo editorial page editor Jonathan Capehart — who is generally very friendly towards the POTUS — said: “Judging by some of the comments I’ve seen on Twitter you’d swear the president was guilty of luridly cat-calling a woman he doesn’t know. If I thought for one moment that’s what was going on, you better believe I’d hammer him for it. But that’s not the case here. Far from it. So lighten up, people.”

On Twitter, East Bay author and prodigious Obama/Democratic fundraiser Ayelet Waldman quipped: “Hate to say this, but when I’ve introduced Kamala Harris I’ve basically said the same thing.”

As Waldman later explained via Twitter: “I’m in love with her, and I’m a straight mom of 4.”….”We will also think, thought we won’t say it aloud, that @kamalaharris is the most gorgeous president in history. Male/female. Whatever.”

And our pal at the LA Times, Robin Abcarian said Obama’s comments were “More wolfish than sexist, I’d say.”

“But still. Let’s not pretend that physical beauty is not a bonus in politics, particularly for women, who then walk a fine line between wanting to be found attractive and not wanting to be judged on looks. The Obamas have benefited immensely from their cool beauty. Likewise, the Romneys benefited from their classic good looks. The rewards of beauty, we all know, can be plentiful, especially when combined with superior brains and ambition.”

And we’re still stunned by Buzzfeed’s list of the 13 Hottest Attorneys General. The end of the world is near when that’s even a search term. Two words: Beau Biden. Oy.

Lost in all the tumult over Obama’s remarks — especially to those of us who stand just a shade under Spud Webb — was the dearth of outrage about the short joke Obama made at Rep. Mike Honda’s expense at that very same Atherton fundraiser.

Obama, again from the White House transcript: “He is around here somewhere. There he is. Yes, I mean, he’s not like a real tall guy, but he’s a great guy.”

So only “real tall” guys can be great guys? Where’s the outrage?!? (Apparently Honda invited this mockery because when the president asked where he was, he called out from the crowd, “I’m short.”)